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Today is already gearing up to be a no shower day. Like yesterday, E has woken several times during the night, culminating in an early rise at 5.30 – 6ish.

While I used to get up for work around 6am, it turns out the post E me can’t function at this crazy hour. So, with a combination of feeling guilty that I am not doing some sort of mind enhancing games for my infant and feeling angry that he won’t sleep, I brought E into bed with me. The hope was that E would settle into a gentle slumber safe in the knowledge that he was cocooned next to me.

This worked for about ten minutes.

Yesterday, the total number of minutes E spent napping in bed was about 20. He managed a further two 45 minute blocks in the car.

I’m still searching Google on a daily basis in the hope of finding a way to help E nap – I lied when I said I was going to just ‘go with it’. E and I are both struggling with the lack of sleep and my once happy little boy is grouchy and restless for much of the day.

Turns out I’m not alone in having a poor napper for a baby and Internet forums are full of questions from mums like me seeking help from others. Those who respond seem to offer the same advice:

Carry your baby in a sling – works to a point, although don’t expect to be able to sit, bend or go to the loo.

Look for sleepy cues – E is yawning soon after waking up. Is there such a thing as a yawney baby?

Keep the room dark and quiet – blackout blind is in place. Some days it is like we live in a cave.

Take your child out in the pram or car – if you’ve had a particularly bad night, maybe steer clear of the car…

My particular favourite response is from the mum who says ‘sorry, I can’t offer any advice! Billy has slept through the night since he was 12 weeks old and has three 1.5 hour naps in his cot each day’. I bet these are the mums who don’t need to rely on Febreeze to cover up the smell of the dog, bake bread during the day and don’t demolish a bag of Haribo in one sitting.

Have any of these tips worked for you? Or, like me, would you prefer to hear for someone who has been in the same situation and come out the other side? After all, they have to sleep at some point, right?

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2 thoughts on “A problem shared…”

I totally agree with you! I’m on my third baby and still don;t seem to have grasped the sleep thing!! Think its because we must be such exciting mums that our babies don’t want to miss out. There is a book that I am intending to read which I have heard is quite good for mums like myself who dont like hearing their baby cry. it’s the no cry sleep solution. let me know if you read this.

I LOVE the idea that our babies find us and the world we’ve created for them is too exciting for them to miss! Haven’t tried the no sleep solution yet as think I will wait until E’s a bit older. But having said that, I may look into it sooner if the sleep pattern gets any worse!